Cherry Red Lollipops
by Kendo Bunny
Summary: New chapter! Short, but still... The plot remains the same: Dil and Cel trying to reconcile their differences and reach a balance, but with Allen out of the house, will it be easier or harder? Rated for Dil's language.
1. Candied Oranges

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, and unfortunately I do not own Dilandau. Cureently I'm renting Dil, Cel, and Allen, but my deposit is running out on him, so he won't be around much. And yes, I have posted this story before, but here's the new chapter and new chapter titles, etc. Late the significance of using candy will be explained.   


Cherry Red Lollipops   
By   
The Kendo Bunny 

  
Dilandau leaned back in his chair, savoring his glass of wine. After all that had happened in the last two years, it was hard to find any time for just himself. He and Celena had formed an easier balance between themselves; one that Allen was having a hard time accepting. He closed his eyes and sighed. Allen never had accepted him as anything more than a perversion of his sister, some kind of demented freak of nature. But the truth was that Celena and Dilandau were now two sides of the same whole, both dependent on each other for stability. Maybe one day they would be able to separate… 

His train of thought was broken off as a pillar of light stabbed the sky. It must have been Van summoning Hitomi for some stupid reason. While he no longer tried to kill Van on sight, he still hated him. From downstairs he heard Allen's voice calling.   
"Celena? Celena, could you come downstairs?"   
"Celena's not here," Dilandau called back, irritably.   
Allen's frustrated sigh floated up to him. "Well, could you bring her out? This is important."   
"Talking to me is the same as talking to her. She can hear you."   
_I hear this every night I come out! Maybe I should just leave…_   
_Please, don't, Dilandau_, Celena's voice echoed in his head. _We can't take care of ourselves alone… and big brother is only trying to help._   
_I know that,_ he growled. _But does he have to be such a bastard about it?_   
_You shouldn't say that about him. He did let us stay here, _her voice was pleading.   
_Only because of you. He hates me, remember?_   
_He doesn't hate you! He's just not used to you yet…_   
_He should be! I've been here for two years, the same as you!_   
_Well…. He knew me first._   
Dilandau sighed. He was sick of the arguments he and Celena had about Allen. He was sick of how Allen treated him, sick of being cooped up in this house all the time…   
_Dilandau? I'm coming out, okay?_   
_No. I want to win this time. Allen has to learn that I'm a person too._   
_He knows you are,_ she said soothingly. _He just wants to talk to me right now, so let's just humor him._   
_He always wants to talk to you! We're sharing this body for now and I want the same amount of respect he gives you!_   
She sighed_. All right… but if he gets mad, I'm coming out. Is that fair?_   
_Yes,_ he answered at length.   
He took one last look at the setting sun and turned to go downstairs. 

Allen looked up as Dilandau entered the room.   
"Where's Celena?"   
"She's resting," he lied. "She doesn't feel like switching places right now."   
"Well, could I talk to her for just a minute? This is important."   
Dilandau crossed his arms. "She can hear you."   
"I'd rather talk directly to her."   
"Too bad. She's not coming out, and I'm not going back in. This is my night. Because of you, I only get one a week."   
"Well, it is Celena's body…"   
"IT'S MY BODY TOO!!" he shouted. "I can't help the way I got in here, anymore than someone can help being born!"   
Allen sighed. "All right… I guess this affects you too. I'm going away for awhile."   
"How long?" he asked hopefully.   
"About two months."   
Dilandau was silent for a minute. Finally, he said, "Celena wants to know what's going to happen to us."   
"I've hired someone to watch you."   
"_Watch us!?_ We're almost 17! We don't need a baby-sitter!"   
"They're not baby-sitters, they're housekeepers."   
"They?"   
"Yes, there are two of them. They're twin sisters."   
"They wouldn't happen to be catgirls, would they?"   
Allen shook his head. "They're humans, and they'll be here first thing in the morning. Any other questions?"   
"Yeah… what was the beam of light today?"   
"That was them."   
Dilandau's jaw dropped. "They're from the Mystic Moon?!"   
"No… however, they spent a few years there, apparently."   
"Where are they from then?"   
"Fanelia. They weren't there when you burned it."   
"You always bring that up," he growled.   
Allen looked at him pointedly. "I didn't think it would upset you."   
Dilandau glared back. "It wouldn't upset me if you didn't always have to be a bastard about it. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised."   
Allen heaved a sigh and rubbed his forehead. It was so much easier dealing with his comparatively docile younger sister than this manic hothead. He had given Celena everything he could, and he didn't understand why Dilandau still lived in her.   
"Anyway," Dilandau continued, "Would you be pleased if your landlord kept bringing up something you loved but couldn't do anymore? Would you want King Aston going on and on at dinner parties about how you screwed his oldest daughter while she was betrothed, and are now pawing at his youngest, all the while flirting with the middle one?"   
Allen glared at him, rage burning in his clear blue eyes. "How _dare_…"   
Dilandau crossed his arms. "I dare anything, _big brother_. Although not as much as you do, I'll admit. After all, it takes so much sheer bravado to…" abruptly the pale boy grabbed his head and began shrieking.   
"Celena!" he screamed. "You bitch! You promised me my night!" He went on screaming and clutching at his head as the silver hair began to turn golden, the figure grew rounder, the glaring eyes turned from red to blue…   
"I'm so sorry, Allen," Celena said softly, bowing a little. "You know how excitable he is. He's been rather out of sorts for the last few days. If you'll excuse me, I'll go calm him down."   
"Please do," Allen still felt a little shaken. The screaming fits when unwilling changes happened still unnerved him. The only thing worse was when he went to calm Celena's down from her nightmares, and found Dilandau waiting to kill him.   
"I'll be leaving tomorrow morning… I hope to see you before I go, Celena. But if I don't," he crossed the room and gave his sister a fond pat on the head, "Be a good girl, all right?"   
"I will, big brother. Enjoy your trip," she smiled brightly, curtseyed, and left the room. 

Allen watched her go, frowning. Hopefully, the two women he had hired would do a good job of keeping Dilandau in line. He hated the thought of leaving his precious little sister alone, but being a Knight Caeli came with a full schedule. A tour of Gaea, defeating local bandits, visiting shelters set up after the war… raising morale in general. And Millerna has persuaded her father to let her accompany the Knights, stating that if the Caeli could raise morale, then surely a princess would have that effect too. He had asked Eries to watch Celena, but, of course, the reserved princess was scheduled for a tour of duty as well.   
He had been saved at Van's faint recollection of twin girls who had once worked in Fanelia's castle and Hitomi's chance meeting of the two on the Mystic Moon. However, the thing that relieved him most was the girls' description of what they were- professional manipulators, experts at making people believe that they themselves were in charge, while the sisters actually made every decision. If anyone could keep Dilandau under control, it would be them.   



	2. Dark Chocolate

Celena closed the door to her room and turned the lock. If anyone came in while she and Dilandau were fighting, it could lead to disaster. With a sigh, she sat down and closed her eyes, turning her thoughts inward.   
Dilandau was waiting for her in the shadowy realm of their shared minds. Her silver-haired counterpart stood, wearing his old clothes, which she realized she was wearing too. Guess their minds remembered comfort the same way… but her train of thought was broken as Dilandau glared at her, a sulky look on his face. 

"You _promised_," he reminded her.   
"I said I would come out if things got bad, which they did. Regardless what you think of Allen, you just can't say things like that to him."   
"Why not? It's not my fault he's a lecherous skirt-chaser with a taste for young princesses."   
"You shouldn't bring it up."   
"He shouldn't bring up the war!"   
"Well…" she paused. "We did do some pretty awful things."   
"So it's we now? Why don't you tell Allen that?"   
"You know Allen. He wouldn't believe me."   
"I think he'd understand that your temper is worse then mine," he glared at her before she surprised him by glaring back with incredible intensity.   
"At least I can control mine," she replied, her voice cold.   
"Oh, right. I forgot. Lady Celena Schezar, paragon of Asturian womanhood. Lady Schezar, giggling politely at the jokes of dimwitted court officials. Lady Schezar, dancing with her big brother at the palace. Too bad no one hears about Lady Schezar, killing butterflies and smashing wineglasses. You really are something, you know that?"   
"At least people don't equate my name with pure evil. And at least I can leave the house without being chased by a bloodthirsty mob. And while we're on the subject of wineglasses, who's the borderline alcoholic, hm?"   
Dilandau's eyes flashed and he felt a familiar urge to slap Celena across the face, to make her stop preaching at him. He had kept her under control for years, and here she was, picking fights with him.   
"Besides, who was it that interceded on your behalf so that you could get out to see the world occasionally?"   
He bit his tongue in annoyance when she brought that up. He hated owing anyone anything, but especially this whiny junior debutante sharing his body. Every time he even started to feel his temper rising, out she came, lecturing him on right and wrong, mentioning what he owed her.   
"I hate you," he growled.   
"How kind of you to say, Lord Albatou," her voice was controlled and urbane. She sounded like he had just said she was wearing a lovely dress.   
"Why do you even bother to let me come out, if you're just going to have to give me a…" he stopped mid sentence and thought it over. His eyes widened and a smirk spread over his face.   
"Why, Celena, I didn't know you had it in you. You heartless _bitch_!" his voice radiated approval as he stepped closer to her. "I can't believe I never realized it before… you manipulated me so perfectly," his voice got a little husky. "This is the most turned on I've ever been in my life."   
He moved a little closer before she stuck out a hand, stopping him.   
"I don't know what you're talking about."   
"You're…" he took a deep breath. "You're terrible. Just awful. And I played along, not even realizing what you were doing."   
She crossed her arms. "Get to the point, Dilandau. I don't have time for this."   
"And I'll bet you thought no one would figure it out. Celena, you set us all up."   
"Set up? How did I do that, pray tell?"   
"All of this- letting me out one night a week, pleading with Allen, being Miss Sweetness and Light on the outside, and a hellcat on the inside. You convinced me you were doing me a favor, but you were just using me for your own amusement- setting me against Allen, against Van even," he stroked his scar. "This… it was your vanity, wasn't it? Not mine. No, this beautiful face wasn't perfect anymore, and you pushed me to the edge with your anger over it. All of this was to cure your boredom."   
"I'll bet you feel clever for thinking of that."   
"It's the truth, isn't it? What if you had this scar on your face?" he reached out a finger to trace over her cheek. "Your lovely angel face. No one suspected that all this time, you were the demon, not me."   
Angrily, she slapped his hand away. "I don't know what you're talking about."   
"And with Allen out of the way for awhile, you'll be able to do anything you want," mockingly, he kneeled. "Lady Schezar, I'm your willing slave… let's go raise hell."   
Her eyes flashed blue fire as she stared at the kneeling boy.   
"How… how _dare_ you, you impudent, arrogant, pretentious _bastard_! How _dare_ you say something like that to me!" 

He looked up at her, red fire dancing in his eyes. The flames held each other for the longest minute of their mutual lives… And then, Dilandau laughed. His loud cackles echoed through Celena's mind, breaking her fury with shock. She sputtered slightly as the rage that had been keeping her towering over him suddenly collapsed under his manic glee.   
"Wha… What on Gaea are you doing?!" she demanded, her voice sounding rather flat.   
"You," he doubled over in laughter, wrapping his arms around his stomach. "You _fell for it!_"   
No longer able to support himself on his knees, he fell to the ground, rolling slightly.   
"I fell for what?"   
His laughing grew louder, echoing through her mind, filling her with a sense of a terrific joke that she had somehow missed the punchline of. She was enraged, but the anger felt different… no longer was it ice cold fury that built up inside of her, but it was more exasperated, slightly confused. Her frown deepened. She hated it when he did this. 

"Sweet god of fire, you thought I was serious? First off, there's no way you could consciously be evil… you just don't have it in you," a slightly disgusted look crossed his face. "And second, how could you think for even a moment that I'd be attracted to you? You're the type that court fops fall for, not real men like…" His tirade was cut off as Celena slapped him across the face.   
One hand flew to his stinging cheek, and the other shot out to wrap around her neck. Dilandau's eyes blazed as his fingers tightened on her throat.   
"You'll pay for that, bitch," he snarled at his counterpart. Her throat was so slender, so delicate under his hand. One good squeeze could snap it in half… if she died in their mind, her body would be all his. He could be free again. And the insolence she had shown him was unforgivable. He waited for the feeling of her small hands clawing at his, her body struggling to free itself, her voice pleading with him not to kill her, to say she had been wrong, to beg for his forgiveness… And yet, it would not come. Her face was white, but set firmly. And the look in her eyes… disappointment mixed with pity. Not a trace of fear. 

Quickly, he looked away from those pitying eyes, letting go. She thought he was no better than an arrogant child, a bully, with no real strength of his own. She sank to the floor, slowly rubbing her neck. He watched her, feeling a shadow of shame as her eyes met his again.   
"Stay out of my way, Celena," he said gruffly, disappearing into the corners of her mind.   



	3. Buttercreams

Celena slept fitfully, the arguement fresh in her mind. She could feel Dilandau's brooding presence on the edge of her consciousness, his rotten temper interrupting any sleep she managed to grab.   
  
'Fine, be that way', she thought sourly at him, getting up. She shivered in the cold night air as she fumbled around for her robe. The second she found it, she quickly wrapped herself in the thick red wool, warming up a little. Another quick hunt produced her slippers, a candle, and some matches. She lit the candle quickly, warming her fingertips for a minute, deciding what to do. Judging by the light, or lack of it, it was probably about two or three in the morning. Maybe she could find something in the library to calm her nerves. As long as she watched the hours, she should be able to get out before Allen found her. He just didn't like his little sister reading their father's books. He seemed afraid she would get ideas.  
  
She opened the door slowly and let it close softly. She looked both ways before she quickly stole down the hall. Even if everyone should be asleep, no need to take chances. She found her way to the library, tracing her fingers over the book spines. She'd know when she found the right one... and there it was. She pulled a thick, green-leather bound book from the shelf, only glancing at the title, Lost In the Uncommon Mind, printed in delicate gold calligraphy on the cover.   
  
'Well, you can't get much more uncommon than my mind'... she thought, carefully making her way over the her favorite chair and lighting the lamp with her candle. She opened the book just as carefully, many of these books were very old, and no telling which ones had broken covers or crumbling pages in this darkness. The book was in good condition, luckily, and Celena discovered to her delight that it was a book of poetry. Not the mushy love poems Allen found appropriate for her, but real poetry written by a tormented soul. She eagerly began reading.  
  
Allen awoke early, but still only hours away from his scheduled departure. The sun shown in on his face, warming him. He still felt bad about having to leave Celena... he had no idea how his fragile young sister would hold up the long weeks without him. But that couldn't be helped, he told himself firmly, getting out of bed. A Knight Caeli had duties to his country and Celena understood. He sighed as he began to get dressed. Maybe he could have breakfast with her, so she wouldn't get the idea that he wanted to leave her... but waking her up this early couldn't be good for her health. Not after that monster had tried to take control of her the night before. No, he would just get his own breakfast and eat in the library.  
  
About twenty minutes later he walked into the library, a fresh muffin and a glass of juice in his hands. He nearly dropped both when he saw Celena, fast asleep in his chair, with one of Father's books on her lap.   
  
"Celena!" he said reprovingly. She jumped, startled, dropping the book on the floor.  
  
"Big brother," she looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep last night, so I thought I'd do some reading until I got tired..." she glanced out the window, and seemed surprised by the sunshine.  
  
"That's all right..." he put down his breakfast and stooped to pick up the book. He looked at the title and frowned. "Celena, why were you reading this book? It's not appropriate for you."  
  
"But, big brother..." she started. Allen cut her off, opening the book to the page she had been on.  
  
"'All good things must pass,  
  
But torment endures forever'," he skipped back a few pages.  
  
"'I can taste anger, intoxicatingly sweet.  
  
Give me your anger, your hatred,   
  
It was you who betrayed yourself'..." he shook his head.  
  
"Oh, Celena, whatever possessed you to read something like this?"  
  
"Why do you have it in the library if you don't want me to read it?" she looked angry.  
  
He coughed embarrassedly. "One of Father's friends wrote it... but this isn't meant for young girls to be reading. I know you like poetry, but other things are better for you. I'll ask Princess Millerna to drop a few of her favorite volumes before she leaves for her tour," he good-naturedly ruffled his sister's short yellow curls. "I'm glad I got to see you before I left, but you should go back to bed. It wouldn't do to have such pretty eyes with dark circles."  
  
Allen shooed her from the library, shoving the book on the highest shelf. Celena shouldn't read things like that... for all he knew, they gave Dilandau more dangerous ideas. His lips tightened. Her fervently hoped these women would be able to handle Dilandau. What if he was contacted on his tour to be told that something had happened to his beloved sister and that Dilandau was at the bottom of it? 


End file.
